Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 15

Verses 1-8

Ezekiel 15. The Useless Vine (Jerusalem) is Doomed to Destruction.— We have seen some of the reasons why the illusion of the inviolability of Jerusalem was so hard to slay (chs. 12f.). Here we meet with another. The people believed themselves to be the darlings of Yahweh. Had not the great Isaiah (ch. 5) compared them to a vine, which had enjoyed His special nurture and care? Good, says Ezekiel, but remember how useless the vine is; why you cannot even make a peg out of its wood. While, as for the fruit of this particular vine— he passes over this in ominous silence— it has either none to show, or the foul fruit (of injustice and oppression) so stingingly denounced by Isaiah ( Isaiah 5:4; Isaiah 5:7). Besides, it has already been burned at both ends— an allusion to the fall of Israel in 721 B.C. and the first deportation of Judah in 597 B.C.; and if useless when whole, how much more useless, if possible, when partially burnt! It is fit only for the fire and into the fire again it shall be flung— an allusion to the impending fall and burning of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.